Apparatus for salvaging vessels



May 2, 1967 H. J. VAN EcK APPARATUS FOR SALVAGING VESSELS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l5, 1965 BVM 5. 7PM

. A 7TORNE'V May 2, 1967 H. J. VAN EcK 3,316,872

APPARATUS FOR SALVAGING VESSELS Filed April l5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HERMAN J. VANEo/f UM WM A 7' TOH'NEV May 2, 1967 H. J. VAN EcK 3,316,872

APPARATUS FOR SALVAGING VESSELS Filed April l5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY United States Patent Olice 3,316,872 APPARATUS FUR SALVAGING VESSELS Herman I. van Eck, 494 Thompson Ave., East Haven, Conn. 065m Filed Apr. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 448,476 7 Ciaims. (Ci. 114-54) This invention relates to a new and novel method and apparatus for salva-ging sunken ships or for preventing their sinking.

This invention, more specifically, relates to a novel method and apparatus for salvaging vessels by sealing one or more flooded compartments in the vessel with an openended plastic liner, or the like, and displacing Water in the sealed compartment with compressed air.

In accordance with this invention, a salvage unit, including a folded air-impervious liner, is inserted through an opening into a Hooded compartment of a vessel. The liner is then expanded in umbrella-like fashion by pumping compressed air under it through suitable means connected between the liner and a source of air. In its fully expanded condition, the liner covers the top and sidewalls of the compartment and is open on the bottom. The area of the compartment covered by the liner is airtight. Air pumped under the liner into the compartment displaces water in the compartment and is trapped between the liner, covering the top and sidewalls of the compartment, and the water in the bottom of the compartment. Appropriate air hoses, ttings, and water-outlet pipes are built in, so that the entire unit is one compact, easily handled package, which can be controlled from the outside after insertion in the wreck.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the most economical means of salvaging a sunken ship is through the utilization of compressed air to displace water in the ship. The basic problem in using compressed alr 1s that air pumped into the hold or compartments of a sunken ship simply escapes through openings in the ships hull and decking, unless the ship is made airtight beforehand.

Prior to this invention, a vessel has been made airtight by tediously welding over seams, hatches, companionways, funnels, and all other openings through which air could escape. This is an expensive, time-consuming, and dangerous operation.

This invention provides a novel, simple, and economical method of making the compartments or hull of a sunken vessel airtight, `so that compressed air can be used to salvage the vessel.

Prior to this invention, there were five basic known and accepted methods, used singly or in combination, for salvaging sunken vessels which are summarized brley below.

One method is to grab and hoist the sunken vessel with a derrick or crane. Obviously, the size of vessel which can be raised intact in this manner is rather limited.

Another known method is to drag or otherwise place cables under the wreck, which are then attached to barges at low tide. The displacement of the barges with the rising tide is then used to lift the Wreck free. This method is useful for vessels Which have run aground but cannot conveniently be used for salvaging vessels sunk in relatively deep water.

A third method is to sink steel drums or pontoons in place next to the wreck, attached them to cables placed under it, pump out the drums or pontoons and raise the ship. An alternate, but similar, method is to place drums, pontoons, or air bags inside a sunken ship and then fill them with compressed Iair to impart buoyancy to the wreck.

A fourth known method is to weld over hatches, companionways, tunnels, and other openings to convert the hull into one airtight unit, drill and attach special fittings 3,316,872 Patented May 2, 1967 to the hull and blow the wreck free of water by displacing the water in the hull with compressed air.

A fifth and more recent method is to inject a chemical plastic and catalyst (through an opening in the wreck), which solidies into a substance of less -density than the water and imparts lift. Here large openings in the wreck need be shored up but need not be made tight.

All the presently employed methods of salvaging sunken ships described above are expensive, time-consuming, dangerous, and difficult. A considerable amount of diving and underwater work is needed to prepare the vessel for salvage, which in turn, necessitates a lange, well-equipped salvage vessel. The construction and transportation of Ibulky pontoons, metal plating, underwater welding equipment, and in some cases, chemical barges, arerequired. All of this requires a great deal of time, and extensive finances.

The method of and apparatus for salvaging vessels, described herein, overcomes the objections noted above. It requires a minimum amount of diving, small expenditure for equipment and only a small salvage vessel. It utilizes compact, easily transportable equipment, which can be placed with a minimum of time, risk, and danger.

It is, therefore, a prime object of this invention to provide a new and novel method and apparatus for salvaging sunken vessels or preventing their sinking.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and novel method of salvaging vessels, which is fast, economical, and simple to oper-ate, and which requires a minimum amount of diving and risk to divers.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel apparatus for salvaging sunken vessels which can be combined into a compact capsule unit for easy handling, which is simple and economical to manufacture, and which can be used with a minimum of risk to salvage personnel.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel and inexpensive method of sealing one or more compartments of a sunken vessel so that compressed air can be used to refloat the vessel.

These and other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description below and the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged detail side view, partially in section, showing the structural `details of the apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial side view of the apparatus of this invention shown being inserted through an opening into a compartment of a vessel.

FIGURE 3 is a partial side view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the apparatus of this invention secured to place in a vessel.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view showing the apparatus of this invention inserted in a flooded compartment of a sunken vessel.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic View similar to FIGURE 4, showing the apparatus of this invention with the liner expanding as air is injected into the compartment.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view similar to FIGURE 5, showing the apparatus of this invention with the liner fully expanded.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view similar to FIGURE 5, showing a device for indicating the water level in the compartment.

FIGURES 8-10 inclusive, show sequentially, a tacked fold in the liner unfurling to allow the liner to expand around a protruding object. Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE l, I show a capsule unit including a liner 1, attached to and folded around an outer pipe or casing 4. Liner 1 is shown as being comprised of one inner layer 2 of plastic and an outer layer 3 of canvas. The

asienta individual layers are generally unattached to each other and are free to slide one relative to the other.

The liner of this invention may -be generally flat, or it may be preformed to the general configuration of the compartment in which it is to be used. It is preferably somewhat larger in area than the area which is to be sealed off in the vessel, so that it is free to conform to the shape of the compartment in which it is placed by folding over protrusions and beams which might otherwise place a portion of tthe liner under strain. The linerl may be constructed of several distinct layers of air-impervious plastic or merely a single layer. The plastic layer or layers may be combined with a protective layer of canvas, sh netting, or other reinforcing material, which is incorporated into the general design to increase the strength of the liner. Although plastic would be a preferred material to use in the basic construction of the liner, it is contemplated that other materials capable of holding entrapped air could be used as well. I do not limit my invention to the use of any particular liner material.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the basic unit is built around a series of pipes and folded into a compact capsule.

In assembling the unit, an opening is pre-cut in the liner 1 and outer pipe 4 is inserted through the opening. The outer pipe 4 is relatively large in diameter and has a first flange 5 aixed near the upper end by Welding or the like. A second flange 6 slides down over the upper end of pipe 4 and is secured to flange 5 by suitable means such as bolts 8 and nuts 9.

The liner 1 and rubber gaskets 10 and 11 are clamped between the anges 5 and 6, as seen in FIGURE 1. The gaskets 10 and 11 provide a seal between the flanges and the liner and prevent the liner from tearing on the edges of the flanges.

An air inlet valve 12 is mounted through the flanges 5 and 6 and is secured in place by suitable means such as nuts 13 and 14. A line 15 is connected between the valve 12 and a source of compressed air mounted on a salvage vessel (not shown).

A plug 17 is mounted in the top of outer pipe 4. The plug 17 has an opening 18 in the center thereof. A seal 19 is fixed in the opening 1S. The seal is constructed so that an inner regulating and discharge pipe 20 can easily pass downwardly through the seal, but air and water cannot flow upwardly past the seal. The inner -pipe 20 is concentrically mounted in outer pipe 4 with an upper end 22 extending above pipe 4 and a lower end 23 normally extending below pipe 4, End 22 can be gripped to raise and lower pipe 20 to regulate the amount of air entrapped inside the liner 1 in a manner explained below. A flange 21 fixed to pipe 2li prevents upper end V22 from being pushed completely inside outer pipe 4.

Outer pipe 4 has at least one hole 24 drilled through the sidewall just under the lower flange 5. The hole 24 provides an outlet for air when the inner pipe 20 is set at a depth above the water level in the compartment. In this condition, air entering through the valve 14 will pass through opening 24, into the lower end 23 of pipe 20 and out of the compartment through the upper end 22 of pipe 20. When the pipe 20 is adjusted so that its lower end extends below the water level in the compartment, the air pumped into the compartment forces water out through pipe 2li. It is apparent, therefore, that pipe 2i) functions to regulate the volume of air in the compartment, and as a water discharge outlet.

In order to provide a compact, easily handled unit, liner 1 is folded about outer pipe 4 and held in folded condition by a series of ties 25, as seen in FIGURE l. The ties 25 are loosely secured so that as soon as air is injected under the liner and -pressure is applied to the ties, they loosen and fall away. This leaves the liner free to expand, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6.

To further facilitate handling the apparatus, the folded unit may be set into a protective bag 26, as seen in FIGURE 4. The bag 26 may be properly weighted with weights 27 and 28 at the top and bottom respectively so that it will drop away from the unit merely by loosening a tie member 29, which fastens the bag to casing 4.

As soon as the unit is properly in place, the tie member is loosened and bag 26 drops away allowing the liner 1 complete freedom to expand, as seen in FIGURE 5.

Since it may be necessary to know how much water is actually in the compartment of the ship at any one time, and it is difficult to determine the water level until excess air starts to bubble out of the outlet pipe Z9, I have devised a simple means for indicating the water level at all times, which may be built right into the unit. As seen in FIGURE 7, I provide a small float 3f). The lioat 3ft is attached to one end of string 31, which is marked at set intervals. The string 31 runs through the inner -discharge pipe 2t?, and a second lioat 32 is attached to the opposite end of string 31. A diver observing float 32 can readily calculate the depth of water inside a compartment by noting the length of calibrated string protruding through the outer discharge pipe 20.

Since the entire unit is a capsule, as pointed out above, its placement by a diver in the hold or compartment of a sunken vessel is quite simple. In placing the unit, there is no need for a diver to enter into the compartment, which ordinarily entails considerable risk. In most cases, the unit will be positioned in the compartment or hold through a small hatchway, porthole, or other opening 33, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The unit may be secured in place in opening 33 by sliding an elongated metal plate 34 over the end of outer pipe 4. Plate 34 is provided with an elongated slot 34 so that it can be angled into the compartment, as seen in FIGURE 2. The unit iS then pulled back, moving plate 34 against flange 6 and into the dotted line position straddling opening 33, shown in FIGURE 2. A second plate 36, having a threaded opening 37, is threaded onto the outer end of pipe 4 and turned down against the outer surface of wall 38, which surrounds openings 33, into the position shown in FIG- URE 3. This firmly secures the unit in place with plates 34 and 36 straddling opening 33 in the compartment wall. The unit thus firmly affixed to the wreck, prevents shifting of the liner near the opening and around the flanges 5 and 6 so that the critical input area will not develop tears and leaks. At the same time, inner pipe 21B is accessible from outside the compartment and can be adjusted by sliding it up or down to regulate the volume of air inside the compartment.

In those applications where there are openings of considerable dimension in the compartment to be sealed, which would place an undue stress on the liner, it may be necessary to shore up the openings. The openings can be shored up, either by the conventional means of using boards, steel beams, and plates, or by attaching fish netting across the opening. In all cases, it should be remembered that it is not necessary to make the compartment airtight, but merely to shore up the openings so that when the liner is in place and expands to form the airtight seal, it does not experience any excessive strain.

While this invention has ibeen described with reference to the situation wherein a unit is inserted in the upper portion of a compartment, the invention can also be used with equal facility when the unit must be inserted through the side of a compartment. Side entry does not affect the construction of the liner except that it may be necessary to insert the pipes nearer the edge of the liner. This will insure that there is sufficient liner material available to expand and cover the desired area. In side positioning of the unit, the pipes are angled to provide a vertical displacement of the inner regulating pipe. This may require the use of wedges to secure the unit in place.

.. directly to the main structural members of the To insure that the liner will be free to expand around protruding objects in the compartment, the individual layers comprising the liner are generally free of attachment to each other. This allows one layer to slide over an adjacent layer, which may be snagged. In addition, each layer may be provided with a series of built-in tacked loops or folds 40, as seen in FIGURE 8. The loops 40 are formed by folding the material back on itself at selected intervals and spot tacking the material as at 41 with a suitable adhesive. The tack 41 will release when pressure is applied to the liner, as seen in FIGURE 9 and free a reserve section of material, which is available t0 fold around and conform to the shape of an object, such as Lbeam 43. The loops 40 allow the liner 1 to conform exactly to the shape of the compartment, as seen in FIG- URE l0, evenif the liner is snagged or taut in some other area. The buoyant forces in the compartment are thus transmitted through the relatively weak liner material compartment.

The operation of this invention is summarized schematically in FIGURES 4-6. In FIGURE 4 a capsule unit is shown secured in an opening 33 formed in the top wall 38 of a ship compartment. The unit is secured in place by plates 34 and 36, which straddle opening 30. The unit includes liner 1 folded about outer pipe 4 and secured in folded condition by loosely secured ties 25. Inner regulating pipe protrudes out of the compartment. The unit is shown in FIGURE 4 positioned in a protective bag 26, which is provided with weights 27 and 28. Bag u 26 is secured in place with a tie string 29, accessible t0 the diver positioning the unit. An air line 15 is attached to a valve which directs air under the bag.

With the unit in position, as seen in FIGURE 4, the diver releases string 29 and bag 26 drops away to the position shown in FIGURE 5. Airis then injected under the bag and causes liner 1 to expand outwardly in umbrella-like fashion, as seen in FIGURE 5. As the liner expands outwardly, ties open or break and fall away, leaving liner 1 free to expand.

As air continues to be pumped into the compartment, it displaces water which is forced to pass outwardly through discharge pipe 20. The air pressure forces the liner 1 into contact with the top and sidewalls of the compartment, transmitting buoyant forces through the liner to the structural members of the compartment.

The water level is continually depressed in the compartment by the incoming compressed air, until the ship is buoyant enough to rise.

In its fully expanded condition shown in FIGURE 6, the liner is an inverted container open at the bottom. All the liner material is expanded outwardly against the top and sidewalls of the compartment. A major portion of the compartment has been filled with air and the vessel is theoretically buoyant enough to rise to the surface, Where it can be repaired with relative ease.

In utilizing this invention, it may be necessary to use several different units positioned in various sections of the ship to develop the buoyant forces necessary to raise the ship. The units described herein can be individually regulated and positioned to insure that the Vessel rises evenly and without any undue stress applied to any given section.

While this invention has been described in detail with reference to a specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, all modiiications and design variations are contemplated which are within the spirit Vand scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for imparting buoyancy to a flood compartment of a vessel comprising a vertically arranged casing adapted to extend through the wall structure of the compartment and be secured thereto, an open-ended, unfoldable, exible and gas-impervious liner around said casing to substantially conform to a large portion of the top and side wall structure of the vessel compartment and having one of said open ends in communication with said casing, means securing the other open end of said liner around said casing, an open-ended inner discharge pipe extending in telescopic relation within said casing in a vertical direction to regulate water and gas within the liner, and inlet means for directing gas Within said liner from a source of compressed gas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which. said means securing said liner is a pair of flanges, one of said anges being fixed to said casing and the other lange being slidable over said casing and secured to said one ange to clamp a portion of said liner between said anges.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said liner includes a plurality of loosely tacked folds which unfold when stress is applied to the liner in the tarea of a fold.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said inlet means is a gas inlet valve extending through said anges and said liner.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said liner includes at least one inner layer of gas-impervious plastic material and a reinforcing outer layer.

6. The apparatus of claim l1 further including waterlevel indicating means comprising an elongated flexible member extending through said inner regulating pipe and beyond both ends of said pipe, calibrated markings on said member, and a pair of oats one of which is attached to each end of said member and of a size precluding passage of the float through said pipe.

7. Apparatus for displacing water from a Hooded compartment of a vessel, said apparatus including a liner having an area suicient to substantially conform to, cover and seal a large portion of the interior of said compartment including the top and a large portion of the side wall structure thereof, the liner having an opening in the lower portion thereof, an outer casing extending downwardly through an opening in said liner, means securing said liner to said casing around said opening, a plug mounted in said casing having an opening extending therethrough, an inner regulating and discharge pipe extending through said plug opening and movable up and down relative to said casing, means providing a seal `between said pipe and plug, and air inlet means extending through said liner to admit air under said liner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT-S 576,052 1/1897 Grant 114-54 1,863,732 6/1932 Schwager 114-54 2,679,224 5 1954 Sturtevant 114-54 2,969,034 l/ 1961 Malloy 114-54 3,053,218 9/1962 Erickson 114-54 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Exarl'nl'ner. ANDREW H. FARRELL, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR IMPARTING BUOYANCY TO A FLOOD COMPARTMENT OF A VESSEL COMPRISING A VERTICALLY ARRANGED CASING ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH THE WALL STRUCTURE OF THE COMPARTMENT AND BE SECURED THERETO, AN OPEN-ENDED, UNFOLDABLE, FLEXIBLE AND GAS-IMPERVIOUS LINER AROUND SAID CASING TO SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORM TO A LARGE PORTION OF THE TOP AND SIDE WALL STRUCTURE OF THE VESSEL COMPARTMENT AND HAVING ONE OF SAID OPEN ENDS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CASING, MEANS SECURING THE OTHER OPEN END OF SAID LINER AROUND SAID CASING, AN OPEN-ENDED INNER DISCHARGE PIPE EXTENDING IN TELESCOPIC RELATION WITHIN SAID CASING IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION TO REGULATE WATER AND GAS WITHIN THE LINER, AND INLET MEANS FOR DIRECTING GAS WITHIN SAID LINER FROM A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED GAS. 